14 killed in southern Thailand attacks

Southern Thailands Attacks

Bangkok, Nov 6 (UITV/IANS)- At least 14 people were killed and several wounded Tuesday night in coordinated attacks attributed to Southern Thailands Muslim insurgency according to the military's political arm.

Insurgents stormed three security posts in Yala province with firearms, an official from the Internal Security Operations Command told Efe news on Wednesday, adding that the incidents were under investigation. The number of wounded could not be confirmed as of press time.

The attacks are yet to be claimed by any of the rebel groups, as is usually the case in the region, reports Efe news.

Attacks and killings are common in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat despite the deployment of 40,000 security forces members and the impositions of states of emergency and martial law.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the area since the Muslim separatist movement resumed its armed struggle in 2004 after a decade of relative calm, according to estimates of monitoring organization Deep South Watch.

Ethnic Muslim Malay Insurgents - the majority in the region - denounce discrimination suffered under the Buddhist government, demand more autonomy and even the creation of an independent state that integrates the three provinces. They formerly formed the Pattani Sultanate that Thailand annexed in 1909.